Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 28th, 2025

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Oh, okay.

You have to laugh, though, because you have to have a glimmer of hope.

Thank you very much for sharing your story, Mr. Bennett.

Mr. Hynes, I still have a bit of time. What do you think of your colleagues' recommendations?

[Brendan Hynes]

I think they're 100% right. I think we need to humanize it. I find it interesting that my friend here used the term “boots on the ground”. All that the federal government seems to have funded is administrators. Where are the boots on the ground? Where's the bias in favour of action instead of administration? Maybe we have to put aside the paperwork and apply some common sense and humanity for a change.

I think what Kenneth said was brilliant. I agree 100%. I know that it's very rare for an individual who has suicidal ideation to move it rapidly towards action, or to present themselves seeking assistance. It's even more rare for them to do it twice. When we're just administering them and taking the odd phone call, that's exactly what we're asking them to do.

I don't understand how we can have billions of dollars being, for lack of a better term, pissed away left, right and centre, but we can't throw somebody in a car and have them respond to somebody's residence when it's a life-or-death situation.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Mr. Hynes.

Mr. Ruff, you have five minutes.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

I'll just share this, because I know there are some new faces and maybe not all witnesses....

I'm coming from the same position as many of you are, with 25 years in the Canadian Armed Forces with the Royal Canadian Regiment as an infantry officer, two tours in Bosnia, two in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. I'm not going to thank you for your service. I know you're appreciated—and thank you. I am going to thank you for your advocacy and for speaking truth to power and for being here and sharing your stories.

With much of the testimony I've heard today, I'm not disappointed or shocked, as some of my colleagues have said. I'm pissed off, because it's frustrating that we have not cracked this yet.

I'm going to ask you a series of questions. They're all pretty straightforward with yes-or-no answers.

What I think has been consistent with all the testimony today is there are three things that need to be worked on. I'll just ask you to agree or disagree, and if you disagree, let me know why.

The first one is that the support within Veterans Affairs Canada is too bureaucratic for veterans.

Two, we're facing a lack of data or tracking associated with veterans right across this country, at all levels of government, I would argue.

Finally, we need to have a system, specifically when it comes to mental health support that's better tailored to veterans. As much as mental health crosses all spectrums of society—everybody's facing challenges—at the same time, it's not specific.

That's the first thing: Do you agree or disagree with those three messages?

The second question I want to ask has two parts. Do you believe that the Government of Canada and this country has a sacred obligation to care for veterans and their families throughout their lives by allowing them to maintain a quality of life that is worthy of the sacrifices that they have made for Canada? Do you agree with that statement? Is the Government of Canada currently living up to that commitment?

Finally, we've heard from your testimony here, which has been phenomenal.... There are more people than in this room who could testify. There are literally thousands of veterans across the country who could testify. Do you think it would be beneficial, as Mr. Hynes said, to humanize the study here, make people understand the impact of suicide and challenges that our veterans face by having more witnesses appear to share their stories?

Those are the three questions. I'll just go in order. If you need me to repeat any of them, I will.

We'll hear from Mr. Bennett first.

[Kenneth Bennett]

In answer to the first question, yes, yes and yes.

In answer to the second question, no.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

You believe the government should have, and the country does have, that obligation, but you don't think the government is doing it currently.

[Kenneth Bennett]

Yes.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Got it.

[Kenneth Bennett]

What was the third thing?

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Witnesses.

[Kenneth Bennett]

I'm sorry. It takes me a while. I have to think about things.

Maybe the solution is with us, with those who are suffering the most and who have watched others suffer. Maybe the solution is with us, who were so close to it and who lived it ourselves. We're still here to talk about it. Maybe we know a bit more of the story of those who were close to us and who did commit suicide. We spoke to their families. We knew them. We knew their hearts.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

I think you're agreeing with what I said, Mr. Bennett. We should have more people sharing this who understand what you and others have gone through.

[Kenneth Bennett]

Absolutely. Thank you.

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

I have only about 45 seconds left, Mr. Hynes. Can I have your take on it?

[Brendan Hynes]

I agree with everything that's been said across the board. Not only has the government abdicated their responsibility, but there's also a severe lack of accountability. We've had, what, nine veterans affairs ministers in the last six years. It seems to have no gravitas and no importance, and I'll tell you why. The people of Canada haven't made it a hot-button issue. I call on the people of Canada to rise up against these megalomaniac demagogues right now and tell them what's important.

Furthermore, I encourage veterans and first responders to run for office. We need fewer of these bankers and dilettantes and more people like Mr. Ruff, who've gotten their hands dirty and callused doing the bidding of their government.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

Mrs. Rose, I apologize. As I've said, I have the bad role here, but I want to make sure that everyone gets to ask their questions, and I'm sure Madam Gaudreau will have some. Out of respect, I can give you 15 or 20 seconds to answer the questions of Mr. Ruff.

[Diane Hill Rose]

I agree with these two fine gentlemen beside me here.

I want you to know that right now we are rewriting Bill C-11 on justice for the military. We are rewriting it as veterans, because whoever has written it doesn't know what they're doing. We're rewriting it for you. We're getting the job done, and we will present it to you. We will present it to you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Mr. Casey, you have five minutes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Bennett, I'd like you to tell us a bit about the eagle staff, your role in it and its significance. Is there any symbolism we can take away from that experience that would be relevant to either this study or the work we're doing? I'd like you to talk a bit more about that. I'd like to have it on the record, please.

[Kenneth Bennett]

Do you mean the Canadian Armed Forces eagle staff?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

That's correct.

[Kenneth Bennett]

I didn't know you knew about that.

I was one of the creators of that eagle staff. It represents all indigenous peoples who serve and the families and the communities they serve from. It has become a symbol that has been used many places in the world, not just in this country.

I was also one of the original keepers and carriers of that eagle staff. It brings a lot of pride, no different from any other group or any other nationality that has the opportunity that wasn't afforded to us before. I believe the eagle staff was unveiled somewhere around 1999 or 2000. Before that, the country wasn't ready for it and the CAF wasn't ready for it. Since then, it's taken on an importance and a pride not just within the indigenous population in the service, but also with everyone, I believe.

I am so proud of that. I believe those types of freedoms and opportunities to show your pride, not just in what you've become but also in who you are, are so healthy for many peoples everywhere.

Thank you.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you.

I'll cede my time to Mr. Clark.

[Braedon Clark, Liberal, Sackville—Bedford—Preston, NS]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett, for explaining that work you did. It's much appreciated.

We are into perhaps meeting six or seven—I'm not sure—of this study. One thing that has stuck with me ever since it was mentioned earlier was that the suicide rate among veterans has essentially been the same for the last 50 years, since 1975. That's what we were told earlier.

Obviously, the world has changed a lot since that time—technology, communications and on and on—and yet this is an issue that persists. Similar to some of the questions that Mr. Ruff may have asked, if there was one thing—and I know it's hard to choose one thing—from your testimony today that you would leave with us as we start to think about putting our report together and making recommendations to government, what would it be? What would be the one thing you would want us to put into practice to turn the tide on that issue and start to move it in the right direction?

I will put that question to Mr. Bennett, and then Mr. Hynes and then Ms. Rose.